Family of the Heart
by HollyJeen
Summary: Malloy'd first birthday party was ruined when she witnessed a murder. Here, the gang finally gets to celebrate.


Family of the Heart  
_missing scene for "Eyewitness"_

**Summary:** A basically plotless and very sappy epilogue to "Eyewitness" (the one where Malloy sees a mob hit and has to decide whether to testify and join the witness protection program). Malloy's point of view as they finally celebrate her birthday.

Malloy strolled towards Adam's apartment while absently glancing at the card she had found tucked into her handbag that morning. It read simply: "8:00. Adam's place. Don't be late." Knowing that Adam was closing the bar for the evening, she had a hunch that Adam, Grady and Miguel had concocted a birthday party to replace those terrible memories of a few weeks ago.

En route to a birthday celebration, Malloy had been the sole witness to a mob murder. For a while, it looked as if she would be forced into the witness relocation project. Even though, as the daughter of a police officer, she had chosen to do the right thing and testify, the thought of leaving her home, her business, and especially this priceless family waiting for her tonight, had almost been more than she could bear. When Grady and Miguel had made the offer to go with her wherever she was placed, just so she wouldn't be alone, she thought her heart would burst with love.

She thanked God everyday that she was lucky enough to have such a unique family, rough spots and all. Deep inside, she was especially grateful that her late father's partner, Adam Beaudreaux included her in his family. It was through her enduring friendship with him that her circle of family had grown to include not only Grady Jamieson, the young boy who had rescued and been rescued by Adam in Vietnam, but also Miguel Mendez, a former street gang member who was slowly turning his life around.

Malloy often reflected on the changes in her life over the last few years, and marveled that this feeling of contentment and joy could come simply from knowing three such disparate men. Even though there were times when it seemed as if they would be overwhelmed by the pain and trouble that continually plagued them, especially Grady, her family endured by standing by each other no matter what. This last incident with Nardi and the mob only strengthened her conviction that she and her band of brothers would always be together.

With these happy thoughts chasing through her brain, Malloy rang Adam's bell, not at all surprised when it was opened with a flourish by a sharply dressed Grady.

"Ah, my lady," he said grandly as he whisked Malloy inside. "Your presence does this heart well. Please allow me to escort you to your waiting companions for the evening." With this, Grady bowed deep and pointed her towards the candle-lit dining room. Laughing at Grady's English accent and, as always, pleased to see a teasing light and easy laugh in his manner, she allowed the last of her tension to flee as she settled in for a happy and peaceful evening.

When they reached the table, Malloy could not help but be impressed at the care with which it had been set. Elegant long-stemmed champagne glasses gleamed in the soft candlelight, and fresh flowers had been placed at each of the four settings. She recognized Adam's finest china and heard the soft sounds of classical music drifting from the stereo.

She turned to Grady and couldn't help but laugh again at the twinkle in his eyes. A bubble of happiness settled in her throat and she had to cough a little to speak around it. "Wow, you don't mess around when you want to show a girl a good time, do you?"

Grady just waggled his eyebrows and continued with his English accent. "Oh dear woman. You have no idea. Trust me on this, NO idea." With that, he clapped his hands and cleared his throat. "Now," he stated loudly, "If we could get the servants moving, we may even have a lovely dinner before we waste away from hunger."

With this remark, Malloy heard the distinct sounds of grunting and grumbling coming from the kitchen. "Just a minute," came Miguel's slightly irritated voice. "TWO people can't get this done alone."

"Hmm," Grady huffed. "Someone has to entertain our guest, now don't they?" Turning back to Malloy, he sighed melodramatically. "Terribly sorry, miss. Good help is SO hard to find. Come, let us partake of some pre-dinner imbibing on the lounge." Again, he offered his arm, the picture of the perfect gentleman. As she took his arm, Malloy impulsively grabbed Grady in a giant hug and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, kind sir," she whispered in his ear. "Thanks for this, and for… everything."

For a brief moment, Grady looked at her, and Malloy gasped at the depth of emotion in his eyes. This was a side of Grady she often didn't see, the side that he kept hidden from everyone, even those who loved him most. "That's what friends are for, Malloy. Don't ever doubt it." He kissed her hand and they spent the next few minutes sitting together, enjoying the music and simply being together.

Some time later, they finally heard a loud commotion from the kitchen. Adam entered, with a sheepish look on his face and a large bowl of salad in his hands. Depositing the salad on the table, he quickly strode towards Malloy and Grady.

"Sorry, sweetheart. It appears that Miguel and I didn't budget our time well. We meant to be ready when you got here. I should never have trusted him with the main course." With this, Adam drew her into a big hug and a kiss. "Happy birthday, Malloy. Sorry the party's so late…"

Malloy interrupted him before he could continue. She wanted no reminder of that horrible night to interfere with this one. "Shhh, Adam. It's okay. I'M okay. This is great, the best way I could think of to celebrate." With a reassuring squeeze to his arm, she turned towards the table. "I hope you cooked a lot. I'm starved."

"That's a good thing," Miguel stated as he burst through the swinging door brandishing, not only a huge platter of spaghetti, but also a steaming basket of bread. "'Cause I think we've got enough here to feed an army. I knew I shouldn'ta left Beaudreaux in charge of the main course."

At this proclamation, Adam, Grady and Malloy burst into laughter. Giving them all a quizzical look, he too pulled Malloy into a big hug. Squeezing for all she was worth, Malloy hugged back and whispered her thanks.

Finally, they all sat down and proceeded to enjoy an excellent meal and celebrate Malloy's birthday as they meant to all along, with joy, laughter and love.

When Grady, the last to finish his meal, finally pushed his plate aside with a contented sigh, Miguel glanced around at his fellow party-planners. "So, is it finally gift time, or what?"

"Guys, you didn't have to get me anything," Malloy protested. "This was more than enough."

"Oh, okay. No problem. I'll just take what I got you back then," Miguel said with a smirk.

"Weelllll," Malloy drawled. "If you've already bought it, it seems a waste not to see it. After all, returning things is such a hassle."

"Yeah, right," Miguel laughed as he pulled her to her feet and deposited her on the couch. "Just like a woman. Can't make up her mind."

"Hey, now," she said with mock anger. "You're not allowed to pick on me at my birthday party."

"Sorr-ee. Here, then. Take the present." With that, Miguel winked at her to show he was only kidding and passed her a brightly wrapped present from behind the couch.

Eagerly, Malloy ripped into it. Even though she was content with only the party, birthday presents were always appreciated. As she opened the box, she turned to Miguel with pleasure shining in her eyes. "Miguel, you remembered." She took out the book and showed it to the others. "I talked Miguel into running some errands with me the other day, and I saw this book on photography at the bookstore. I've been thinking about getting back into it, and told him how much I wanted this one. There are some beautiful illustrations in it. Thank you so much!" she said as she hugged the Latino youth. "This is great. I can't wait to start taking pictures again. You better watch out, because you're all going to be my guinea pigs!" While the others groaned at this thought, Malloy happily flipped pages, dreaming of all the gorgeous shots she could capture.

"Great, Miguel. You've created a monster, I hope you know that," Adam said with a mock frown. Truthfully, he would pose anytime and anywhere to keep that beautiful smile on Malloy's face. He came so close to losing her; he vowed to do whatever it took to keep her happy. Not wanting to spoil the mood with 'what-could-have-beens,' he grinned at his blonde friend. "Well, you know. There are a couple more gifts back here. Interested?"

"You know you don't have to ask twice. I could get used to this!" She accepted the small envelope Adam handed her with a look of pure devilment. "Hmmm, I guess this isn't that new cash register I've been hinting for, huh?"

"Don't get smart with me, Blondie," Adam threatened with a barely suppressed grin. "That can go back just as easily as it came."

Laughing at Adam's expression, Malloy grabbed for the envelope. Not one to be left out of a game, Grady reached over and, lightening-fast, snatched it from his hand. Holding it just out of Malloy's reach, he held it up to the light and pretended to read it.

"Let's see here. One free pass to have a full set of fake fingernails. Hmmm, you think I'd look good with long red claws?" Grady asked thoughtfully while examining his hand. "I think it could work for me."

"Yeah, and you should get a curly perm to go with it," Malloy huffed as she finally captured the gift. Settling on the sofa as far from Grady as she could get, she threw a mock-growl his way when he leaned forward. Grabbing his drink from the coffee table, he toasted her as he winked at Adam.

Adam took in these high jinks with a self-satisfied smile. All was right in his world, and he looked forward to everyone's reaction to his gift.

Malloy tore open the envelope and gaped at the small note inside:

_Malloy,  
I never want you to go away for long, but I think you deserve a little break from the bar. Come home soon.  
Love Always, Adam_

Attached to the back of the note was an airline ticket to Vancouver. Malloy stared at Adam with an incredulous look on her face. "Adam… I can't accept this. I love you for it, but it's too much."

"No, sweetie. Don't even think about trying to give it back. It's non-refundable. There's also a hotel reserved for a four-day weekend next month. You can go and visit your aunt and see your cousin's kids. I know you've wanted to."

"Adam…"

"Please, Malloy. I know you're still a little out of sorts. Go and enjoy your family."

"Thank you, Adam," Malloy whispered as she squeezed his arm. "This means the world to me. I'll go, and have a great time. But, Adam. I AM enjoying my family…right now. This is just icing on the cake."

"Is that a hint that you expect a birthday cake?" Adam asked with a smile, diffusing the incredible wealth of emotion crackling around them.

"Hey, man. Not yet. Grady's still gotta do the gift thing," Miguel interrupted.

All eyes swung towards a suddenly self-conscious Grady. Never one to be the center of attention, Grady blushed and focused his gaze on the floor. "Well, uh… I'm not sure my gift can compare to that," he mumbling with a small wave towards to envelope.

"Grady," Malloy said softly as she moved to sit beside the young man. "Just the fact that you'd take the time to look for a gift means the world to me. Money doesn't matter; neither does what it is or where it came from. It only matters that it comes from you."

Grady tossed a small grin towards her as he pulled a small box wrapped in blue silk from under the couch. Malloy accepted it carefully and admired the beautiful silk. "That's a piece of the fabric we used for the curtains at the dojo. It's supposed to be good luck to wrap a gift in something from your home or workplace," Grady said with a quick glance towards Malloy. Again, his eyes soon drifted downward to fastidiously study the floor.

Malloy peeled off the silk and opened the small box she revealed. Shifting the box to open it, she heard a delicate tinkling sound. With a puzzled glance at Grady, she slowly removed the prize. She pushed aside the mass of packaging protecting the gift, and held it up to the light. An intricately woven strand of wind chimes was revealed. A series of bamboo sticks were gathered around a set of tiny bells that twinkled merrily in the light from the fireplace. When the small pieces of bamboo touched the bells, soft rings could be heard. The set of bells and bamboo were topped by a wooden figure of a beautiful Asian woman kneeling in a garden. She was holding a small plaque with two Oriental carvings etched into it. Malloy was entranced by the woman's fragile features, and rubbed her fingers carefully over the tiny symbols. She threw a questioning look to Grady, silently asking for their meaning.

"Uh, yeah… the translation. It's uh… Vietnamese," Grady said in a small voice. "It means… family of the heart." Apparently gathering up strength to tell Malloy exactly what he was feeling, Grady took a deep breath and met her eyes. "These last few weeks have made me think… Malloy, you know, well, you all know…" he said as he cast a brief glance to the other men. "It's been a long time since I felt like this… since I felt like I was … part … of a family. I used to think I'd never have that again." He looked again at Adam and gave him a rare smile full of joy. "I feel that way, right now. In this room. Like family. I think I forgot how that could feel… how … good… that could feel."

Taking Malloy's hands, he gently wiped away the tears that ran silently down her face. "I won't EVER lose that again, Malloy. No matter what. When I said I'd go with you, I meant it. I'd do whatever it takes to keep this family safe. So… anyway, when I thought I might loose you, it reminded me of how precious you are to me. So, I wanted you to have something that would tell you how I feel." Grady reached out and gently tapped the chimes, listening for a moment to the sweet sounds with his eyes closed. He gruffly cleared his throat and offered a small piece of his carefully guarded past to his three friends.

"These chimes… my …mother had a set like them. I used to fall asleep listening to them in the breeze. Whenever I heard them… I'd know that …she was near. Now, every time I hear chimes, they… remind me of her. Now… they'll remind me of you, too."

With that, Grady seemed to lose the last of his courage, and he slipped off the sofa and turned away from his friends. Malloy sat for a moment, stunned by Grady's statement. She was more moved than she thought possible, and she had to take several deep breaths just to be able to speak again. As she rose and moved towards Grady, she glanced over at Adam, and was unsurprised to find that his eyes were bright with unshed tears. The two of them had spent many hours discussing Grady, trying to find a way to bring happiness to the young man. Anytime he was able to reveal his true heart, as he had just done to Malloy, was precious to both Adam and Malloy, for they knew it was next to impossible for Grady to trust completely, even after all their time together.

Malloy touched Grady's shoulder and slowly slid her arms around his waist. When he didn't protest, she leaned her forehead against his back and sniffled one more time. "Grady," she whispered with a catch. "I… I don't know what to say. This is the most beautiful thing you've ever done for me. Oh, Grady. To hear that you would think of me in the same moment as your mother, that's the real gift. I will always enjoy the chimes, because they are lovely. But… Grady. What I will treasure for the rest of my life is knowing that you think of me, of us, as your family. That's the way I've thought of you for a long time, but I was afraid to tell you." She gave a small chuckle then, and surreptitiously wiped away yet another tear. "We were afraid we'd scare you off. Now, though, you're stuck with us. There's no getting away now."

She felt Grady shudder a little, and, for a brief moment, was terrified that she had gone too far. But then, he turned and she saw that he was softly laughing. "In that case," he said as he returned the hug and reached out to grasp Adam's arm. "I guess you're stuck with me, too."

Adam grinned broadly and stepped closer to join the small circle. Suddenly, the kitchen door swung open and Miguel stepped through, carrying a gaily decorated and candle-laden cake. Not one to spend much time on the deep emotions displayed in the living room, he had quietly slipped out to serve the cake. Now, he began a boisterous version of Happy Birthday that had Grady and Adam laughingly joining in, albeit slightly off-key.

As Malloy gazed around the table at the three singing men, she decided that this was the best birthday of her life. Somehow, the trials she had endured in the last few weeks, the agony of indecision and the final, bittersweet, relief of knowing she could have done the right thing, made this moment all the more special. She sighed, knowing that she could never have recovered had she walked away from this life. She thanked God again that her friends had made sure she didn't have to. With a quick glance at the wind chimes hanging by Adam's bookcase, she blew out the candles. She made one brief and simple wish: to have another year surrounded by these friends who were so much more than that… to be surrounded by the family of her heart.

The End


End file.
